


The Unnaturals of Stray Cafe

by quotinglegacies



Category: Stray Kids (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Bang Chan & Han Jisung | Han & Seo Changbin are Best Friends, Bang Chan is Whipped, Bang Chan-centric, Blood Magic, Blood and Injury, Chan and Felix are kind of idiots but they'll figure it out eventually, Hwang Hyunjin & Lee Felix are Best Friends, Hwang Hyunjin & Yang Jeongin | I.N are Step-Siblings, I AM: SOFT FOR CHANLIX, Individuals in this universe with special powers are called "unnaturals", Kim Seungmin is really best boy, Lee Felix & Lee Minho | Lee Know are Siblings, Lee Felix (Stray Kids) has Anxiety, Lee Felix (Stray Kids) is a Sweetheart, Lee Felix (Stray Kids)-centric, M/M, Minor Character Death, Not Beta Read, REVEALED THROUGHOUT THE STORY!!, Some of SKZ has powers, Superpowers, minor JB and Youngjae mentioned, minor Park Jinyoung - Freeform, more tags added as chapters are released!, this is my first work on AO3 so please be gentle
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-07
Updated: 2020-08-11
Packaged: 2021-03-05 20:41:55
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,914
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25761550
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/quotinglegacies/pseuds/quotinglegacies
Summary: For the past few years, the government has been collecting individuals who possess unique talents and powers, named "unnaturals," in order to maintain utmost power over the country. Chan, Jisung, and Changbin are part of the elite underground squad who either capture these individuals for testing or eliminate those who pose too large of a threat. However, something is off about the boys who run the Stray Cafe, and Chan is determined to figure out why the boy with galaxies across his face reminds him of home.
Relationships: Bang Chan/Lee Felix, Han Jisung | Han/Hwang Hyunjin/Seo Changbin, Kim Seungmin/Lee Minho | Lee Know
Comments: 14
Kudos: 90





	1. 00: introduction

“Hey Felix, help me with this.”

Felix looks up from his phone to where the sound of his brother’s voice is coming from. He gets up from the couch and makes his way over to where Minho is struggling to push in a mattress.

Grasping it from the bottom, he and Minho lift the mattress through the living room.

“What is this for? Innie’s new bed?” Felix questions, struggling to lift the twin mattress. The burning in his muscles prompts him to take note of the need to continue training with Hyunjin.

“Yeah,” Minho grunts while leading them both towards Jeongin and Hyunjin’s room, “I felt bad that he’s had to share a bed with Jin ever since we moved.” They place down the mattress adjacent to Hyunjin’s existing one in the corner of the room. “But now,” Minho continues in a mimicking baby tone, “our little Jinnie can stop complaining that it’s always too hot to sleep at night.”

Felix stifles a laugh as Minho fans himself dramatically imitating the younger boy. The front door slams shut and the brothers poke their head out to see Hyunjin standing at the front entrance with grocery bags in his hands.

“You both talk so loud that I’m surprised Seungmin and Jeongin couldn’t hear you from their university,” Hyunjin rolls his eyes, dropping the bags of groceries on the kitchen counter. “Hey Sunshine,” he directs his attention to Felix, expression quickly softening, and gives the top of the younger's fresh blonde hair a small ruffle, “I picked you up some more cranberry juice just in case we ever run into…” Hyunjin’s sentence falls off and he directs an apologetic look towards Minho who sends a glare. “Well, you know…” He grimaces looking away.

“It’s fine, Jinnie,” Felix finishes putting the groceries away, “I would do it again for all of us.”

“Felix-” Minho begins, but is cut off by Felix.

“Seungminnie took care of them anyways. To them, we’re just normal cafe owners now.” He turns to Minho, “Hyung, I’m not...I’m not the same scared twelve year old boy. I’ve learned how to use my abilities, to control them. The most recent incident was...well, uncalled for.” His chest grows heavy recalling the danger his pack was placed in, and the momentary fear settles back in as if a weight is crushing his diaphragm. Minho’s hand runs up Felix’s arm pulling him back to stable ground. The younger boy keeps his eyes downcast, opting to simply send a small smile towards his Hyungs, “Let’s just drop it, hm?”

Minho lets out a sigh and wraps his younger brother in his arms, “Alright Lixie, I’ll let it go. Why don’t we wait until Kim Seungmin and Innie get back from school before going to the cafe? I want to hear more about Innie’s little crush.”

“Why do you keep calling Seungminnie ‘Kim Seungmin,’” Hyunjin sticks his tongue out poking Minho in the side, “still trying to act like a tsundere towards our Seungminnie, Hyung?”

“Hwang Hyunjin”

“Hyung, your smile isn’t reaching your eyes.”

“I know, Jinnie.”

.-.

Chan, Jisung, and Changbin, the members of the ace squad for underground government organization, JYP, are looked at with fear from colleagues who have whispered a critical word or attempted to challenge the infamous 3RACHA. Their leader, Bang Chan, operates under the alias, CB97, followed by Han Jisung as J.ONE, and finally, Seo Changbin as SPEARB.

The boss of JYP, Park Jinyoung, slides a file to the boys during an urgent meeting. “Now, I trust you all are well aware of the confidentiality that comes with cases regarding colleagues, correct?” He eyes the three boys who respond with hard stares. “Good, so, two operatives from a separate squad, JB and YJ, were sent after a suspected blood manipulator an hour out of the city. Since then, they returned empty handed and completely unaware of the case as if they never were assigned it to begin with.”

“Some type of mind control. It has to be,” Chan interrupts looking up from the papers strewn across the table, “either working with the suspected blood manipulator or someone related to the case.”

“Ah, yes, that’s exactly what I’m thinking as well.” Jinyoung rounds the table and passes each boy a phone, “For communication purposes. You’ll all be sent undercover to the last reported sighting of the blood unnatural.”

Jisung interjects, “What about the cases in the city? I’m sure that there’s far more dangerous unnaturals out there compared to this small town unknown person.” He leans back in his chair messily tossing the phone onto the table, “I don’t understand why you’re sending _all_ of us after _one_ unnatural. It seems absurd-”

“ _Han Jisung_ ,” Chan casts a stern look in his direction causing the younger to promptly shut his mouth.

Jinyoung nods his head towards Chan before meeting Jisung’s gaze once again, “J.ONE, I know you only recently joined us a few years back, so I’ll let this one slide, but unnaturals with the ability to manipulate blood are extremely dangerous to society if they grow too powerful. The suspected unnatural was reported as a younger boy in his late teens, so if you three can eliminate him before he learns more about his abilities, we could save thousands of lives. In addition, if the mind manipulator is working with this boy, they pose a much lesser threat, and I would advise you to bring them in. They could be of much help to the organization.” Jinyoung passes each boy a duffle bag, “Go back to the dorms and pack enough for an indefinite amount of time. You’ll leave by van tonight and be dropped off at your temporary residence.”

Jisung is the first to collect his things and leaves the room with his shoulders a bit more hunched compared to when he first entered. Chan is the next to stand up, and looks over his shoulder at Changbin who remains seated with his eyes trained on the still open file in front of him.

“I don’t understand, Sir. How would we be able to pick this specific unnatural out of the thousands of other citizens who live in the same area?”

Jinyoung smirks knowingly, passing both Chan and Changbin before pausing at the door, “You wait for him to panic and slip up. They always seem to have a great sum to lose.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello and welcome! This is my first work on AO3 and since I enjoy both Stray Kids and writing, why not combine the two? This is only an introduction, so further chapters will be longer, but I'm planning on doing weekly releases every Friday (with the exception of chapter one which should be coming very soon)! I'm just: very soft for chanlix hours and some good angst :D
> 
> See you soon!


	2. 01: welcome to stray cafe

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Memories of the past, a new town, and the familiar galaxy. Wait...did he just glare at me? Welcome to Stray Cafe!

**_She’s dying. Why is she dying? Minho. He’s saying something, but what is he saying?_ ** _The boy looks down at his hands,_ **_blood? From them or from her?_ **

_“Felix, Felix please!”_ **_Oh, he’s saying my name_ ** _. “We have to go now!” Minho grabs his younger brother’s arm, pulling him onto his feet. Led by the older, the two exit their home and witness the remnants of the midnight ambush. Bodies scatter the ground, littering the once peaceful facade the Lee’s hometown used to hold._

_Ms. Kim, a sweet widow and their next door neighbor lies on the ground, the bright light of her eyes stripped into unfocused pupils. She had an affinity for the water, and would often tell the boys stories of her old home through the dancing puddles after a rain._

_Mr. Yongsang, a quiet man who raised two boys, both of which attended the same school as Minho and Felix, is bent over a small, unmoving figure. His back trembles, but his wails are unheard over the chaotic shouts and deafening gunshots filling any empty space._

_The Lee boys run, both short of breath, and covered in a mix of sweat, dirt, and dried blood. Fire rages throughout their town, destroying the only reminder of the peaceful society the citizens built in order to live in harmony with unnaturals._

_Felix frantically tries to catch his breath as he chokes on his salty tears, “Hyungie—where are we going? What’s happening?”_

_Minho grips his younger brother a bit tighter, eyes never leaving their destination. “We need to board the next train. We’re heading towards the city.” His voice falters for a second before regaining it’s confidence, “Trust me Felix, I’ll keep you safe now. They won’t be able to find us.”_

_“What about mom? The bad people—they—they hurt her. We can’t leave her behind, we can’t!”_

_Minho pauses in his place. He spins around to meet his brother’s eyes, then bends down, gently taking Felix into his arms. “Baby,” Minho strokes the boy's hair, tears beginning to fill his vision. “It’s going to be okay. We’ll be okay. Hyung will keep you safe, Yongbokkie.”_

_All Minho had was his own words to convince himself that everything would, in fact, be okay._

.-.

“FELIX!” Hyunjin violently shakes the younger boy, his wet, disheveled hair, a sign of urgency after hearing pained whimpers from Felix’s room, drips onto the boy's sleeping figure mixing with the ever-present tears trailing down his cheeks. 

Felix blinks his eyes open, wearily meeting the concerned gaze Hyunjin wears across his face. “Hyunjinnie?” He rubs his eyes, smearing the hot tears, ridding himself of their existence.

Carding his hand through the younger boy’s hair, Hyunjin uses the pad of his thumb to wipe away any lingering signs of sadness from Felix’s face. “Was it another bad dream, Sunshine?” The small nod Felix gives draws the edges of Hyunjin’s lips down into a frown. “Do you want me to get Minho?”

“No!” Felix quickly grasps Hyunjin’s arm. Felix realizes his action, loosening his grip, his eyes wandering away from Hyunjin’s face. “Can you just—cuddle with me for a bit? I don’t think I can be alone right now.”

Everyone was a fool for Lee Felix and right now, it was painfully obvious how much power this boy had over their hearts. “Of course. I’ll stay here until you fall asleep.” Hyunjin crawls under the sheets, drawing the boy into his arms. He rests his chin atop Felix’s hair, immediately noticing how small the younger boy seemed, fitting perfectly against the curve of his own body. Hyunjin cards his fingers through Felix’s soft blonde locks; the tips of his fingers linger gently on the boy’s nape, playing with his baby hairs. 

Hyunjin feels the soft rise and fall of Felix’s chest against his own and the warm, even breath on his neck indicating the younger boy has fallen back asleep. “I’m such a fool,” the older whispers, burying his nose into Felix’s hair, and slowly drifts off to the younger’s sweet smell of hyacinth.

From the other room, Jeongin yawns, rubbing sleep from his eyes. He readies himself for bed, but not before noticing a new flower sprouting from a pot on Hyunjin’s side of the room. The bright flower practically glows compared to the surrounding forest of ferns and leaves sitting atop the window ledge. Jeongin crosses the room, and gently touches the abundance of sprouting petals, “a pink hyacinth?”

.-.

“Ah, Channie-hyung!” Chan looks up from his computer to the source of the voice. Jisung skips to the table, and spreads a map of the local town across the surface. “I picked this up from the front of the grocery store, and look!” He points excitedly to the various restaurants and coffee shops across town, “See, we never really go out to these when we were back in Seoul and I thought–”

Chan rubs his face, a bit overwhelmed by the sudden burst of energy Jisung brings to his previously peaceful search for any suspicious characters in the area. “Sung,” He starts, trying to contain the obvious irritation in his voice. “Maybe Changbin would want to go instead? I’m trying to find us a good starting point with this case since obviously Boss left us with scraps.” Chan looks up from his computer once again, only to see the younger boy pleading with large, teary eyes and a pouty lip. The leader huffs an exasperated sigh, weak for Jisung’s eyes. “Fine, but only if we can make a few stops on the way. I want to check out some small businesses in town.”

Jisung cheers, throwing his arms over Chan’s neck giving a squeeze. “I’ll get Bin!” The younger runs off to Changbin’s room yelling, “Binnie, baby!” once he throws open the door.

_Wait for him to panic and slip up. They always seem to have a great sum to lose._

Jinyoung’s words play over in Chan’s head and he’s convinced their boss knows a lot more about the hunted unnatural than he’s letting on. Chan drags the map Jisung left on the table closer to him and uncaps a marker. He circles small businesses and family run shops in the general area where the boy was last spotted. _If he has a lot at stake…_

Chan refolds the map and tucks it away in his back pocket. He closes his laptop, deciding to resume his search at a later time.

“Ready Chan?” Changbin enters the main room, hand-in-hand with Jisung; the younger boy clings onto the older, an excited smile on his face. The two were always forced to keep a distance at the company, opting to instead share secret glances in order to not be caught by any of their prying coworkers. Now, since they were away from the scrutinizing eyes, Changbin and Jisung were able to enjoy time together, yet they were still idiots whenever Chan teased them about their relationship.

“Let’s check out the area, lovebirds.” The blush that rose up to their ears made Chan chuckle under his breath.

.-.

“ _Seungmooooo~_ ” Minho called from the back of the cafe. “Come help your favorite Hyung finish some drinks~”

Seungmin and Felix mop the floor as their morning rush cools down, allowing the boys some breathing time to clean before the afternoon crowd begins to filter through. At the sound of Minho’s voice, Seungmin rolls his eyes feigning annoyance, and Felix doesn’t fail to miss the slight smile tugging at the younger boy’s lips. 

Seungmin leans on his mop, meeting eyes with Felix, who in return, nods his head towards the back of the cafe. “I’ll finish up here, Min. He’s putting out orders way too slowly, anyways.” Felix answers, wiggling his eyebrows.

“Thanks, Lixie,” Seungmin pats the other on the shoulder, briefly rolling his eyes at Felix’s suggestion. “Let me know if you need help at the front.” Felix flashes a quick wink and a thumbs up at his friend.

He goes back to mopping the floor, humming a new song Hyunjin showed him the other day. Hyunjin often would share songs accompanied by self-made choreography during times the two boys would venture out to the nearby river. 

The front doorbell jingles, indicating new customers. Felix looks up from his mopping to yell out, “Welcome!” He smiles at the three boys who enter, obviously new customers by the way their eyes scan the interior of the cafe. The first two who enter with fingers intertwined are gorgeous, but the third boy trailing behind draws Felix’s interest.

Felix props his mop against the side wall in order to help the customers at the register, yet they don’t seem to move from the front area as their eyes search through the few remaining customers seated at the tables. “Excuse me,” Felix attempts to catch their attention, “are you looking for someone?”

Only the boy at the back of the group seems to hear Felix, and in response, taps the other two then makes his way to the counter, “Ah, sorry about that.” _Oh no he’s hot._ The boy smiles at Felix revealing a singular dimple which in return, makes him swoon. “We’ll take one hot chocolate, iced americano, and chamomile tea.” 

Felix quickly takes their order and calls it out to the back which causes Minho to sputter out an affirmation. When Felix looks back up to the dark haired boy who placed the order for his group, his dimple is gone, replaced by an inquisitive look.

“Excuse me, this is a weird question, but,” Felix tilts his head at the boy’s words, watching as his eyes seem to scan his face rather than meeting his eyes, “have we met before?”

“Hey, Yongbokkie,” Minho emerges from the back using the name Felix went by when out in the community, “Min forgot how to make an americano, can you help him? I’ll take over at the register.”

Felix nods, but not before missing the muddled look the boy at the counter gives. He swears he hears the darker haired boy mutter, _“Oh, a Korean name,”_ before he gives an apologetic smile, making his way back to the couple at the table in the corner.

.-.

Once Chan sits back down with Jisung and Changbin, the two look at him curiously. Jisung taps the older’s arm, snapping him out of his trance. “Everything alright, Chan?”

“Yeah,” Chan begins, then pauses to look over to the counter at the boy who replaced the other who had familiar galaxies across his cheeks. “I swear that guy at the counter glared at me.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was meaning to release this chapter yesterday, but I, of course, got nervous and re-edited it. Still, updates should happen weekly (Fridays) or twice a week :) Thank you for your patience! Also, thank you for the positive response on the introduction chapter ;w; I'm really enjoying writing this, and am excited to see how the story unravels. What's up with Hyunjin? The look Minho gave Chan? Anyways...
> 
> See you soon!


	3. 02: sunset serendipity

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The sunsets with you are pretty, but what if there was something–or someone prettier?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! I'm here to quickly update and clarify a few details before we get too far into the story :D
> 
> Firstly, thank you MB_02 for the comment on the last chapter! I realized I forgot to specify what era the boys appear as in this story, apologies! Their physical appearances in this universe are the same as the go live area, and more specifically the hair colors from the easy mv & stages (I am a bit biased as the easy stages were among my favorite this era hehe >:D). I've been pegging Felix as blonde and I do know his hair is that ambiguous color between platinum blonde and white, but for the sake of wordiness, I'll continue to refer to his hair color as blonde (or light, bright, luminescent, along those lines). 
> 
> Secondly, I wanted to quickly clarify the layout of Felix, Minho, Hyunjin, Seungmin, and Jeongin's house. It's two stories, located in a quiet neighborhood (the town they live in is pretty residential as it is, so everywhere looks like a typical suburban neighborhood). The main living area, kitchen, main bathroom, and Felix's room are on the bottom floor (hence why Hyunjin heard Felix from the bathroom last chapter). The stairs to the second floor can be seen from the kitchen and lead straight into the main living area. On the second floor is: Jeongin & Hyunjin's shared room (they have the largest room in the house next to the stairs), Minho's room, Seungmin's room, and another, smaller bathroom. 
> 
> Finally, thank you for your patience with these chapters! I am a bit of a slower writer as it takes me about 3 days to write a full chapter and another day to make any edits before publishing, so in advance, thank you for sticking with me :)
> 
> Enjoy and I'll talk to you soon!

One second, Seungmin was dropping a tea bag into a hot kettle of boiling water, the next, he was pressed against a wall with _the_ Lee Minho crowding his space. “What in the world–”

“I thought you were a confident gay, Kim Seungmin.” Minho smirks knowingly, bringing his free hand up to caress the top of Seungmin’s ear, “You put on the act, but your ears are bright red right now.”

Seungmin’s facade falters, and he quickly pushes the older boy off of him. “I was surprised, that’s all.” He returns to the boiling kettle, removing the tea bag from the water. 

Minho slides into the spot next to him, busying himself with washing leftover dishes from previous orders. “If you say so,” he hums to himself, “But for the record, I thought you were pretty cute being all flustered.”

Seungmin gives Minho an incredulous look just for the latter to throw another shit-eating grin his way. Seungmin scoffs, matching the grin, unwilling to let Minho win this match. “I could say the same when you were all cuddled up to me last night.”

“You–!” Minho’s wet, soapy hand flies out from the water to slap Seungmin on the arm. He peeks over the window to make sure Felix is far out of earshot. Sure enough, his younger brother is still busying himself with mopping the floor.

“I’m sure he knows anyways,” Seungmin shrugs, pouring out the tea into a cup. Minho faces him with widened eyes, sputtering incoherently. “Lix isn’t dumb, you know. I’m sure he knows his older brother and close friend have something going on.” Seungmin places the teacup down to deliver the final blow crossing his arms, looking down smugly at his Hyung, “You’re not exactly the quietest when it comes to the bedroom–”

Once again, Seungmin is backed against the same wall under Minho’s glaring gaze. This time, the older has soap running down his arm, his attempt at washing dishes foiled by the only boy who can make his heart jump out of his chest. But–he’ll never tell Seungmin that. “You want to be kissed right now? Is that what’s happening?”

Seungmin taps his chin, feigning reasoning as if the answer wasn’t already painfully obvious, “I guess since you’re offering.” Minho slowly leans in, rubbing his thumb on Seungmin’s chin. Their lips part, breaths colliding in needy sighs and– 

“One hot chocolate, one iced americano, and one chamomile tea!”

At the sound of Felix yelling orders, Minho stammers, his face quickly turning beet red. “G-got it!” He buries his face in the crook of Seungmin’s neck, and the younger places his hand on Minho’s neck, softly stroking the baby hairs. Seungmin leans down to press a soft, fluttering kiss on Minho’s neck, smiling at the contact.

Minho’s ears prick up at an unknown voice speaking to Felix at the counter. Pulling away from Seungmin, he looks over the window to see a familiar, yet unwanted face. “Shit, why is he here?” Minho mumbles, causing a concerned Seungmin to run his hand up the older’s arm. “Stay here,” Minho places a chaste kiss to Seungmin’s cheek before rushing out to the front.

Once the older is gone, Seungmin’s ears heat up taking in everything that’s just happened. _Was he an exhibitionist? Surely not, it was just–exciting? Yeah, it wasn’t like they were doing anything more than the normal PDA in the cafe’s kitchen. After all they owned the cafe, so they should be able to do whatever they want in...huh?_ Seungmin turns to the boy who just entered the kitchen, “Why did Minho-hyung send you back here?”

Felix walks in meeting Seungmin’s confused gaze with his own. He tilts his head and points to the espresso machine, “Hyung said you needed help with making an americano. But...it doesn’t seem like you’ve even started on it?”

“He said that?” Seungmin questions Felix, moving towards the window which looks out at the main cafe. Sure enough, at a table in the corner of the cafe, Seungmin realizes what–or rather _who_ made Minho run out to the front so quickly. He narrows his gaze at the dark haired boy, making sure it was exactly who he thought it was. _Christopher?_

Minho keeps his calm, yet the shudder of his shoulders tells Seungmin that he heard his question. He answers with a brief affirmation, _it’s him._

.-.

“Hyungs!” Jeongin’s head pops out from the top of the couch as Minho, Felix, and Seungmin enter the house. He runs into Minho’s arms first who in return gives a small squeeze and a peck on the head; next, Seungmin pulls Jeongin away from Minho making a “gwaaaa” sound as he pretends to eat the younger’s hair. Finally, Felix engulfs a pouty Jeongin, rocking him back and forth as they make their way to the couch.

The four boys flop down together, a tangled mess of limbs and giggles. “Where’s Jinnie?” Felix is the first to poke up his head in search of the boy in question.

“Ah,”Jeongin pops his head up as well, “he went to run some errands just before you all came back.” Felix hums in response, then pulls Jeongin back down into his arms.

“Eugh, it’s too hot, Lix!” Jeongin removes an arm from Felix’s tight hold, but the older retorts by clinging tighter, pretending to eat Jeongin’s shoulder.

Minho ruffles both Felix’s and Jeongin’s hair telling the boys, “Hey, don’t fight.” Still, he stifles a laugh, watching his boys with all the admiration in the world. He gets up from the couch dragging Seungmin by the arm. “Seungminnie and I are going upstairs for a second.” His statement is met with curious eyes from the other two boys who are cuddled up on the couch. Minho hums, “Private conversation?” he smirks, pulling Seungmin, who wears a dumbfounded expression, up the stairs into his room. The door slam is heard echoing throughout the house. 

“What was that about?” Jeongin questions, running a hand through Felix’s now messy hair. “They seemed a bit off. Did anything happen at the cafe, Lixie?” Jeongin gives up his attempts to fix his Hyung’s hair and opts to instead madly ruffle it between his two hands.

“Hey! Innie–” Felix whines, slapping the younger's hands away. While attempting to smooth his wild head of hair down, Felix thinks back to the cafe, but the only image that reappears is the dark-haired boy with that cute, singular dimple. “There was an attractive guy at the cafe today?” Felix buries his face in his hands only to be prodded by the other who wears a smug expression. 

“‘Attractive’, huh?” Jeongin hums, resuming his previous motion of twirling locks of Felix’s hair around his fingers. “He must have been hot considering he actually caught _your_ attention.”

“Innie…” Felix groans, further burying his reddening face into the chest of the younger, “Please don’t tell Hyunjin, he’ll never let me hear the end of it.” The younger laughs at his Hyung's embarrassment over the unknown boy at the cafe, but at the mention of his brother, Jeongin pauses.

“Speaking of Jinnie-hyung,” Jeongin starts, causing Felix to tilt his head backwards to look up at the younger with large, inquisitive eyes. “Have you noticed any changes recently?”  
  
Jeongin’s question confuses Felix, causing his eyebrows to knit together, so he presses, “What do you mean? Is he okay?”

Jeongin pulls back from Felix a bit, and shifts from his previously prone position to an upright, sitting one. “Well,” the younger runs his hand through his hair as if considering how to phrase his next words. “Hyunjinnie has never really liked flowers, right?” Jeongin looks to Felix, who is now, also, sitting right beside him, arm swung over the back of the couch. Felix nods slowly, attempting to gain some sort of insight.

Jeongin hums in thought, continuing, “Last night, right before I went to sleep, I noticed a pink hyacinth sprout.” He leans his head on the back of the couch, “It confused me. He’s only ever accepted vines, ferns, and the like ever since I’ve known him and…we’ve been so careful to avoid any traces of flowers for his sake.” Jeongin lets out a deep sigh, closing his eyes, “I guess it just surprised me, that’s all.”

“I’m sure there’s nothing to be worried about, Innie.” Felix smiles reassuringly. “I’m sure Jinnie would tell us if there’s anything that’s bothering him.”

Jeongin opens his eyes, meeting Felix’s gaze momentarily. The blonde’s innocent smile is all too precious for this cruel world, and he knows his brother’s a complete and utter idiot for it. He looks away towards the floor, recalling the conversation he had with Hyunjin a few nights before. _Jinnie would tell us if there’s anything that’s bothering him_. The statement brings an all too knowing, sad smile to Jeongins face. “Yeah, of course.”

.-.

“Hyunjin, you’re on shift with me and Innie today.” Minho deposits his yogurt bowl into the sink as the mentioned boy trudges tiredly down the stairs. Hyunjin lets out a loud, overly dramatic yawn as he blinks his eyes, groaning at the older’s words.

Felix looks up from his own bowl, surprised at the quick switch in shifts from him to Hyunjin, “Wasn’t I working today, Hyung?”

“Sorry Lixie,” Minho turns to his brother after replacing the clean dishes back into the cabinets, “but Jinnie’s already missed too many shifts from waking up too late.” Hyunjin perks up immediately at the mention of his name and opens his mouth to protest. However, he’s met by Minho’s signature glare, and instead finds the inside of the fridge suddenly very interesting. “Consider it a long weekend,” Minho gives Felix a final apologetic smile as he leaves the kitchen, heading upstairs to prepare for the morning shift.

Felix watches as his brother leaves the room, then props his head up on his palm, pushing the breakfast remnants around in his bowl. Hyunjin notices Felix’s change of demeanor and in response, slides into the seat next to the younger boy.

“For the record,” Hyunjin scoops strawberry yogurt into his mouth, “I hafenth mifthed any shiffs in the fast monfh.” He swallows the remaining food in his mouth before continuing, “I’m not sure what Minho was talking about, but maybe he noticed you walking around in the middle of the night and thought–”

“What?” Felix shouts, a bit too loud, causing Hyunjin to flinch at the sudden increase of volume. “Sorry, but–” Felix lowers his volume, lightly touching Hyunjin’s thigh, looking up at the older with pleading eyes, “you–you didn’t tell him I’ve been having nightmares again, right? Please Jinnie–” 

Hyunjin lays his hand atop the smaller one on his thigh, and looks at Felix with a soft, yet downcast smile, “No, Pixie, I didn’t.” This elicits a relieved sigh from the younger, but Hyunjin doesn’t remove his hand. “But–they’ve been happening daily?” Felix slowly shakes his head, obviously unsure of his own answer. The older continues bluntly, “I’ve heard clattering at 2 am everyday since Monday. You’re not the most stealthy person alive, you know?”

The blonde in front of Hyunjin lowers his head, appearing even smaller than before. Felix spins his chair to face the older blonde and leans forward, the top of his head lightly tapping Hyunjin square in the chest. The older, scoffing at how impossibly cute the younger was acting right now, engulfs Felix in a tight hug.

“...touch…” Hyunjin’s chest vibrates as Felix mumbles an incoherent sentence into it. The older pats the younger’s head, coaxing his face upwards.

“What was that, Lix?”

Felix winds his arms around Hyunjin’s neck, a pout forming on his lips, “Can I touch your hair?” The younger’s eyes seem to glow at the prospect of running his fingers through Hyunjin’s long, blonde locks, “It’s really long and pretty now.”

Hyunjin stifles a laugh at Felix’s request; his eyes instead form into crescent moons and he squishes the younger’s cheeks using his fingers and thumb on one hand. He has always received compliments from the aunties he encounters during his frequent visits to the grocery store, yet something about Felix’s compliment made his heart skip a beat–or two. “Of course Pixie. You never need to ask.”

Hyunjin’s eyes flutter closed to the soothing motion of Felix’s fingers grazing his scalp. He hums in response, earning a toothy grin from the doting fairy boy. 

Unbeknownst to the two who are lost in their own separate world, Jeongin’s door is ajar, and the youngest boy in the household is propped against his doorframe, watching the duo’s interactions from upstairs.

.-.

“Chan-hyung,” Changbin whines, attempting to smooth down the stubborn bed-head protruding from the back of his head. He grumbles, giving up on his hair, and instead chooses to kick the eldest for his lack of response. “Oi, you dragged us out of bed for this…” He squints his eyes, focusing on the sign while still adjusting to the morning light, “...Stray Cafe? Weren’t we here just yesterday?”

Chan simply hums in response, quietly observing the mentioned cafe. Something about this place called him back, and Chan wasn’t sure if it was the delicious tea or the cute register boy.

_...definitely the cute register boy._

The three enter the cafe, only to be greeted by a half-hearted, “welcome,” followed by a look of distaste. In the place of the cute register boy stood the guy who glared at Chan the previous day. Chan nods respectfully at the gloomy owner, though his face scrunches up, obviously disappointed the bright, freckled boy was replaced by a sudden storm cloud. 

Chan makes his way to the register while attempting the best smile he could muster in the presence of the intimidating cashier. He quickly places and pays for his order, but before leaving to follow Changbin and Jisung to their table, Chan pauses.

He meets the disfavoring gaze of the cashier, and asks the question which has been plaguing his mind, “Um–I was wondering if I did something wrong?”

“What?” The cashier’s scowl deepens, his eyebrows knitting together.

“Well,” Chan rubs the back of his neck awkwardly, unsure about how to proceed as the tension thickens. “I noticed you glaring holes into my head both today and yesterday, and was meaning to ask if I somehow offended you?” 

Minho considers the question, and after a brief, feigned thought, he gives Chan a forced smile, “It’s just my face.” This time, Chan’s eyebrows knit together in confusion at the confident tone of the other. _His face? What kind of shitty reason is that?_ He eyes the cashier suspiciously, and in response, the other meets his gaze as if Chan’s presence bores him. “Jeongin will bring out your order shortly.” The cashier’s short tone acts as a signal for Chan to _fuck off_ . He mumbles out a ‘ _thank you_ ’ before making his way back to his friends.

“Did you get extra cake too, Channie-hyung~” Jisung pipes up when the elder returns, propping his chin up in the palms of his hands. Changbin elbows the younger in the side, eliciting a yelp followed by Jisung’s fist on the collar of Changbin’s shirt. Jisung stares down the older, his light demeanor replaced by a facade of outright irritation, “Are you trying to fight, Hyung?”

“Calm down,” Changbin places a hand on Jisung’s balled up fist. “You’re not even intimidating to begin with, but–” He side glances toward the eldest who seems all too interested in the wooden table. Jisung follows Changbin’s gaze to observe Chan who busies himself with running his fingernail across the table’s surface. “At least ask him why he’s acting like a kicked puppy.”

“I’m not,” Chan speaks up for the first time, slamming his palm flat on the table. The two others jump at the sudden action of their leader, earning a glare from the long blonde-haired boy mopping the floors. Jisung whispers under his breath, ‘ _if you’re not, why the hell are you getting so worked up_ ’ to no one in particular; he quickly bores of his leader’s tantrum, and instead is enthralled by the beautiful boy mopping the floors. Chan places the right side of his face into his palm mumbling, “ _My face? That was such a shitty excuse, Lee Minho._ ” The eldest scoffs, then resumes his motion of scratching the table.

“Hm?” Changbin hears the unfamiliar name mentioned, “Who’s Lee Minho?”

Startled when someone hears his mumbles, Chan’s eyes quickly dart up to Changbin, thankful only one of the boys heard the mentioned name as Jisung is preoccupied with ogling the blonde mop boy. “What?” Chan hastily searches for an answer while keeping a cool front under the Changbin’s curious gaze, “Oh, just an old friend from high school who called me late last night.” Changbin hums, seemingly satisfied with the answer, but knowing his longtime teammate and friend, Chan senses Changbin only half-believes the fib.

“Here’s your order! Thank you for waiting!” A younger boy who resembles a fennec fox deposits the three drinks on the table. He gives the three boys a bright smile before apologetically bowing towards Chan. Startled by the action, Chan waves his hand, dismissing the unknown apology. The young boy speaks up before the leader can protest, saying, “I’m sorry for the harsh words of the owner!” The boy stands back up, the bright smile transformed into an awkward alternative, “He’s not good with strangers and can struggle with human interaction. He means well though!” 

Snapping out from his trance caused by Hyunjin, Jisung snorts at Jeongin’s words. “Struggles with human interaction?” Changbin joins Jisung, his attempts at hiding his laughter also failing miserably. 

“Owner-nim!” Jisung calls across the cafe, alerting Minho who was previously wiping the counter. The older looks up at the trio of boys at the table, eyes narrowing suspiciously. “Good luck on your human interactions from now on!” Jisung flaunts his signature smile while flashing a thumbs-up and a wink to accompany his ‘Fighting!’ shout. 

.-.

_Why the hell was a squirrel taunting him?_ Minho smiles at the boy, returning the thumbs-up.

“Hyung,” Hyunjin leans his elbows on the counter, observing the interactions between the two groups, “Your smile isn’t reaching your eyes.”

“I know, Jinnie.”

“I’m guessing Innie’s dead when we get home,” Hyunjin laments, placing his hand over his heart, mourning Jeongin’s existence which is set to be eradicated by Minho. 

“Oh Hwang, you know me so well.”

.-.

After sending Jisung and Changbin home following the strange atmosphere at the cafe, Chan makes his way around town in an attempt to seek out leads regarding the blood manipulator. He explores back alleys, small flower shops, restaurants, and cafes, but they all lead back to square one. Nothing.

Sure, a figure from his past, Lee Minho, reappearing in the cafe was odd, but given their history, Chan’s not surprised to find the younger living out a mundane life. After all, being a cafe owner in a quiet town was a much better alternative than the hustle of Seoul. If only Chan had the same choice.

The sky turns a burnt orange with hazy tones of pink and purple, and Chan figures that’s his queue to head back home. Although his search was useless, he was able to explore the town a bit more. It was, simply, comfortable. It seemed many owners and customers knew each other by name and were often close family friends. Even to an outsider like Chan, he was treated like a son by the various shopkeepers.. The aunties at the grocery store commented on how skinny he was, recommending recipes and ingredients in order to ‘eat more!’ To be fair, the trio of boys could cook enough to avoid starvation, but in terms of taste and enjoyment, they needed a bit more work. 

Still, no matter how comfortable the town was, Chan had to constantly remind himself that he was here on a mission, simply carrying out orders assigned by Jinyoung. Eventually, he would have to put an end to their leisurely, carefree life by slaughtering another “dangerous” unnatural. The boys of the 3RACHA squad had no place living quietly in a small town as they gave up any hints of normality in order to become hunters for JYP. However, ending an innocent life, regardless of their status as an “unnatural”, never seemed to become easier. 

Lost in thought, Chan looks up towards the sky, taking in its clear painted beauty which differs greatly from the dejected, grey skies of Seoul. _This really does feel like home._

“Ah, no, I’m okay, aunty! I’m sure Hyunjin will be more than grateful for the watermelon!”

Hearing the voice, Chan is pulled from his thoughts and meets the eyes of the very boy he hoped to see at the cafe earlier. Moreso now than before, his freckles are visibly scattered across the top half of his face as if meticulously painted by van Gogh himself. “Ah–” For once, Chan is dumbfounded, his words not quite working as he wants them to. However, it’s enough for the younger boy to stop and bow to the elder, recognition clear in his eyes.

“I recognize you from the cafe!” Felix smiles brightly, but he quickly realizes the heft of the grocery bags in his hands. His face contorts under the strain, but the toothy smile is almost immediately visible once again, “I was right, you must be new here. You look a bit lost.”

Startled by the boy’s statement, Chan looks around at his surroundings noticing that he has absolutely no idea where he is in relation to the apartment. _Oh my god I am lost._ “Yeah, uh... “ Chan begins awkwardly, but before he could confirm the statement, he notices the strain the two grocery bags are causing the younger, “Do you need help with those?”

Felix considers the offer. He knows the older boy would soon offer to walk him back home, but knowing Minho, Felix is all too familiar with his brother’s lecture regarding leading strangers home, so instead, Felix suggests, “If you could help me carry these halfway, I can show you the way back to your place?”

Chan nods, taking the bags from the younger, and in return, he tells Felix his address. He follows the younger, lagging only a few steps behind.

The two walk in silence as the sky changes from burnt orange to deep purple, the sun fading away behind the horizon. Felix’s sudden words snap Chan out from his daze.

“I noticed you were entranced by the sky earlier. I’m guessing you’re from Seoul?” Felix looks over his shoulder to see Chan shake his head with a soft smile spreading across his lips. _Cute._

“No,” Chan falls into step with Felix’s slowing pace, “not originally, at least.” Earning a confused look from the younger, Chan continues, “I’m actually from Australia. I moved to Seoul in my early teens after some…” The elder’s smile falters as memories of his hometown muddle together into a pool of confusion. For years, he’s been unable to recall anything before middle school, but the one thing he has, for sure, is the memory of watching sunsets with his mother. “Anyways,” Chan continues, “The sunset today reminded me of those from back home in Australia.”

Felix hums in thought and nods his head. “I’ve always wanted to travel there.” He clasps his hands behind his back and quickens his step into a skip, leaving Chan a few feet behind. Felix pauses at an apartment complex, and with a ‘ta-da!’ He gestures towards it with jazz hands. “You’re home!”

Chan stifles a laugh at the sheer cuteness of the younger, and passes off the groceries to Felix’s waiting hands. “Are you sure you don't want help with these? You did me the favor of showing me back here, the least I could do is walk you home.”

“Nope!” Felix lifts the grocery bags in an attempt to show Chan his strength. It fails, but the younger quickly recovers, giving Chan an embarrassed smile. “My efforts would go to waste if you got lost again. Also, my house isn’t too far from here, so I’m sure I can manage.”

 _Oh no I’m soft._ The younger boy practically sparkles in Chan’s eyes, but before they part ways, he stops the younger for one final request. “I never got your name. I’m Chan.”

Felix hesitates, but answers with a smile as bright as before.

“I’m Yongbok. Nice to meet you, Chan.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> One more thing! Happy belated Changbin day & remember to stream God's Menu (let's get to 100M!) :D  
> Stay healthy and safe out there, everyone!


End file.
